The present invention relates to devices, systems and methods for commissioning a home network. More particularly, this disclosure describes a device and a method to inhibit unaffiliated wireless communication devices that are physically proximate to each other from forming a wireless network.
Traditionally, setting up a communication network required significant training and expertise. For example, a skilled network administrator may be required to configure each device as well as any controlling devices on the network. However, recent advances in automatic configuration have reduced the experience required. For example, some networking protocols may be able to recognize the existence of other communication devices as potential communication partners. The devices may then negotiate among themselves to form an ad hoc network.
Such an approach may be ideally suited for a wired network where logical and physical barriers such as subnets, switches, routers, firewalls, etc. limit the ability of a particular device to communicate with other devices. However, the increasing popularity of wireless communication devices has introduced new problems with ad hoc or automatic network configuration. For example, there may be cases in which physically proximate devices, such as devices in adjacent dwellings, which are capable of communicating with each other should be inhibited from forming a network. Accordingly, unaffiliated wireless communication devices need a facility to inhibit forming networks with other physically proximate devices.